WWE Changed Big Match’s Name Just Before SmackDown

WWE has a lot of things going on, and sometimes that means plans can change, even right before showtime. This story is more proof that you never know what can happen in Vince McMahon’s company.

Jeff Jarrett, the founder of TNA Wrestling, has earned a legendary status in professional wrestling, both inside and outside the ring. In 2002, Jeff founded TNA Wrestling LLC in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to TNA, Jeff was already well-known in professional wrestling, but competing made him well-known in the business world as well. That being said, WWE doesn’t want to call too much attention to things they didn’t come up with.

TNA Home Video presented a biography of Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain jam-packed with video from Jeff’s early professional wrestling matches through his most recent matches against Kurt Angle. Sean Sapp recently reported behind Fightful’s paywall that the “Good Old-Fashioned Battle Royal” on SmackDown last week was initially planned to be named as “King of the Mountain” battle royal. It was changed almost immediately after obvious Jeff Jarrett jokes surfaced.

Originally the “GOOD OLD FASHIONED BATTLE ROYAL” was called the “King of the Mountain” Battle Royal. That was changed shortly before the show and plenty of Jeff Jarrett jokes flew backstage.

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The internal run sheets had this match labelled as a “King of the Mountain” battle up until just before showtime. WWE found it necessary to emphasize the match’s full name repeatedly, using the phrase “Good Old-Fashioned Battle Royal” a whopping amount of times. Following the intermission, a “Good Old-Fashioned Battle Royal” featuring the six current contestants and the potential entrants took place.

Michael Cole on commentary stated that the battle royal was for WWE dominance and to try and build some momentum. After Sheamus and Sami Zayn attempted to eliminate each other after Drew McIntyre hit a Claymore on Sami Zayn to eliminate him, Happy Corbin appeared from behind and eliminated both of them to win the Good Old-Fashioned Battle Royal.

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